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Animation

Off to Sea with Pi-Rats

Thanks to Furry.Today we found out about Curse of the Sea Rats — a new multi-player animated game currently in development. This “ratoidvania” (their word for it) adventure is interesting because the animation is actually hand drawn. Here’s what the web site says: “Curse of the Sea Rats is an epic hand-drawn ratoidvania starring a group of heroes transformed into rats by a pirate witch. Help Douglas, Buffalo, Akane, and Bussa to rescue the Admiral’s son, capture the evil pirate Flora Burn and break the magic spell. Curse of the Sea Rats packs all of the best features from the Metroidvania genre featuring beautiful 2D hand-drawn animation and 3D environments, combined with unique real-time combat mechanics, and of course, lots of rats!” The web site features a press kit, plus more information on the current Kickstarter campaign.

image c. 2020 Petoons Studio SL

Cold Reception

Arctic Dogs (2019) didn’t exactly blow up the box office or impress the critics much. (Ye EdOtter is still trying to figure out how the planned action-adventure film Arctic Justice: Thunder Squad morphed into this silly comedy…) Apparently though, Arctic Dogs has been very popular on Netflix — enough so that a spin-off series of animated shorts called Arctic Friends has been created. According to Animation Magazine: “Arctic Friends follows the exciting adventures of Swifty, the arctic fox who has finally achieved his dream job: Be the best delivery dog at Arctic Blast Delivery Service. With the help of his best friend PB the polar bear, Jade the red fox, and the ABDS team, this crew is ready to deliver at any cost! Constantly thwarted by the nefarious mastermind Otto Van Walrus and his mischievous puffins, Swifty must outsmart these villains to ensure that all packages are delivered to their rightful recipients.” The series recently premiered on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.

image c. 2020 Iervolino Entertainment

Spaghetti and a Nice Chianti?

Okay, this has us scared… We just came across this article at Slash Film: “Gary Dauberman is producing Stray Dogs, a movie based on an upcoming Image Comics title from Tony Fleecs [My Little Pony] and Trish Forstner. Plot details aren’t readily available, but the project is described as Silence of the Lambs meets Lady and the Tramp. [!] The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop on the Stray Dogs movie, reporting that Paramount Animation and Gary Dauberman have picked up the rights, with Game Night writer Mark Perez tackling the script.” Image Comics is set to release the Stray Dogs comic in 2021, so we’ll know more of what we’re in for then.

image c. 2020 Image Comics

It’s Time to Walk Beneath the Moon

For a while now we’ve been hearing about the new film out of Tomm Moore and Cartoon Saloon, the folks who brought us Song of the Sea. Well now Wolfwalkers has a brand new trailer — and an upcoming release on Apple TV. “In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.” Looks as if the release is going to be complicated. Furry.Today has the trailer and more info.

image c. 2020 Cartoon Saloon

Birds and Bubbles Go Boom

They’re still a thing, and they just keep getting stranger. This we got from Animation World Network: “Rovio Entertainment has released the first season of Angry Birds Bubble Trouble, a bite-sized 3D-animated series where the young Angry Birds flock – Red, Bomb, Chuck, Stella and Silver – let their imaginations ‘go wild’ in their bubble garden. They play games and solve problems together, while getting into all kinds of trouble.” The first season of 1-minute animated shorts is up now on Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. The AWN article includes an introductory video, which shows just how odd this series can be!

image c. 2020 Rovio Entertainment

Bears Go Big

There is much excitement over at Animation World Network about the upcoming We Bare Bears: The Movie. “Cartoon Network will stage its biggest multi-platform movie premiere ever on September 12, debuting We Bare Bears: The Movie across eight WarnerMedia channels and apps in Asia Pacific, including Cartoon Network, Boomerang, HBO, HBO Family, Warner TV, as well as Korean channel Oh!K, which is also screening last year’s famous K-pop episode starring boy-band MONSTA X… In the run-up to the movie release, a three-week on-channel stunt with We Bare Bears episodes will see the spotlight fall on one bear a week; specially-curated episodes will celebrate the unique story, origin, and qualities of the furry trio.” As for the movie itself, it goes like this: “Life is good for this lovable trio. But when their love of food trucks and viral videos get out of hand, it catches the attention of the menacing Agent Trout from the National Wildlife Control, who pledges to restore the “natural order” by separating them forever. Chased from their home, Grizz decides there’s only one thing they can do to find refuge: move to Canada! The Bears embark on an epic road-trip filled with new friends, dangerous obstacles, and massive parties. But most importantly, the perilous journey will force the Bears to face how they first met and became brothers, to keep their family from splitting apart.” There’s a trailer at AWN, too.

image c. 2020 Cartoon Network

Traveling, Without Moving

PBS has a new science and learning animated series set to premier soon. “This Labor Day, PBS Kids will debut their newest series, Elinor Wonders Why, giving families a chance to ‘travel’ coast-to-coast in Animal Town. The animated show encourages children’s curiosity, promoting science inquiry skills while kids learn about the natural world around them. The multiplatform series, created by cartoonist and robotics engineer, Jorge Cham, and physicist and educator, Daniel Whiteson, will debut nationwide on PBS stations, the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and PBS KIDS digital platforms, Monday, September 7, with a special one-hour premiere that kicks off a week of new episodes. In the premiere, Elinor, the most curious and observant bunny rabbit in Animal Town, plays hide-and-go-seek with her friends and learns how animals hide in nature; she investigates a strange nighttime sound made by an owl and discovers what fascinating creatures do at night; she makes “Backyard Soup” with vegetables from her family’s garden; and sells lots of cupcakes by learning how flowers attract bees, through color and smell, and applying those concepts to baking.” Learn more and read about the creators over at Animation World Network.

image c. 2020 PBS Kids

The Zoo Crew When They Were New

More out-of-nowhere projects we’ve learned about — in this case from Dreamworks. It’s Madagascar: A Little Wild, a new animated series coming to Hulu and Peacock on September 7th. Everyone’s favorite zoo animal quartet return for new adventures… as youngsters. Animation Scoop had this to say: “Filled with original music and dance worthy songs, the lovable foursome Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, and Gloria the Hippo steal the show in Madagascar: A Little Wild. Capturing the iconic personalities of the four dynamos, Madagascar: A Little Wild showcases the team as kids residing in their rescue habitat at the Central Park Zoo. They might be small, but like everybody who lands in New York City, these little guys have big dreams.” There’s more information and a trailer at Animation Scoop too.

image c. 2020 Dreamworks Animation

Once More to the Max

And again with the reboot stuff! We’re finding out more about the long-awaited reboot of Animaniacs, this time thanks to Dave Lee’s Cartoon News on YouTube. Turns out the new series is scheduled to premier on November 20th on Hulu — at least in North America. Here’s what the producers have to say: “This new version of the family friendly cartoon will see Warner siblings, Yakko and Wakko, and the Warner sister Dot, have a great time wreaking havoc and mayhem in the lives of everyone they meet. Joining the trio will be fan-favorites Pinky and the Brain, who will also return to continue their quest for world domination.” No word yet on any of the other characters from the old series (sorry Minerva!), but the new cast has all the original voice talent, including Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, and Frank Welker.

image c. 2020 Hulu